By Emily Groff
We write because there is nothing else that touches our souls or our hearts, the way the written word does. Words of every language are printed on paper and are grasped by millions around the world. We write what we feel, and we authors can only hope it connects with others and helps them think, cry, and mend. No matter how much or how little we write–one word, one sentence– we are writers.
Author Melissa R. Mendelson writes because she loves it. She writes because she can express herself and her emotions. She writes to become the most vulnerable version of herself that she can be. Although Mendelson works as a full-time Administrative Assistant for the State of NY, she writes when she comes home from work and spends her weekends with pen and paper in hand. Working as an Administrative Assistant is tiring, forcing her writing after work to be brief, but it is on the weekends that she saves her energy and writes, entering into another world of her own.
Mendelson has had numerous stories and poems published. Our favorites, UnCensored Ink: A Banned Book Inspired Anthology; Ourania’s Orrey of Imagination; I’m Not The Villain, I’m Misunderstood; Calliope’s Collection of Mystical Mayhem. While all these publications draw us in, we are excited about Stories Written on Covid Walls, especially. Meet Melissa R. Mendelson and her new short story collection, Stories Written on Covid Walls.
(Picture of Stories Written on Covid Walls)
1. Tell us what your book, Stories Written on Covid Walls, is about.
During the pandemic, when I wasn’t writing poetry, I was writing short stories involving the pandemic that ranged from dystopian to drama, and touched on a lot of topics, including family, loss, depression, and anger.
2. What made you want to write in poetry? Do you find poetry more compelling?
Writing, for me, is how I express my emotions, how I let them out. A lot was going on in 2020 with the pandemic with my infertility, and my family. If it wasn’t for writing, I don’t know how I would express how I really feel inside.
3. How do you get the idea to write these books/poetry collections?
During the pandemic and my infertility, I needed a way to cope, so my way of coping was writing both poetry and short stories, switching back and forth and back and forth depending on how I felt and what was going on in my mind.
4. Is there a common theme or genre that you tend to write in? Why that specific theme or genre?
I’ve always leaned toward Dystopian, and it’s fitting with everything going on right now. I don’t believe in happy endings, and when I pay attention to what is going on around me, I see the dark side of it.
5. When did you first begin writing and what got you interested in writing?
I had two great seventh grade teachers that believed I was going to be this talented writer, and it took some time for me to see that. But in high school when I was dealing with family issues and bullying at school, I buried myself in my notebooks. I was writing short stories like Lizardian and Porcelain and I was writing really dark poetry. Luckily, my poetry is not that dark anymore, but some of my stories are.
6. What is your writing process like? Do you have any particular tips, methods, or writing strategies that help you?
I try to budget my time, especially in the evenings and weekends. If my energy is low, then I aim to do small projects, work on ten pages, maybe write a page or two, and get myself going.
7. Tell us more about you!
I love taking pictures. Other than being an author and poet, I am a photographer, and at some point, after I complete some projects, I would love to focus on that and try to get my pictures out there. Right now, I use a lot of them for my website and match them to my stories and poetry.
To learn more about Melissa R. Mendelson, visit her website: https://melissamendelson.com/
Wild Ink Publishing 